Toggle packer, well head preventer



Nov. 5, 1957 W. C. GIBSON TOGGLE PACKER, WELL HEAD PREVENTER Filed Aug.16, 1955 W/L M50 0. mesa/v IN V EN T 0R.

United States Patent r.

TOGGLE. PACKER, WELL HEAD PREVENTER Wilfred C. Gibson, Fullerton,Califl, assignor to Shaffer Tool Works, Brea, Calif., a corporation ofCalifornia Application August 16, 1955, Serial No. 528,699

7 Claims. (Cl. 286-163) This invention concerns headworks fittings ofdeep well equipment, and is an improved blow out preventer, and includeschanges over the preventer shown in application Serial No. 429,486.

In the instant invention there is provided a tubular, elastic packerprovided with stilf top and bottom armor segments to protect the exposedends of the packer. The principle and object of this invention is toprovide an inflexible and powerful toggle link device for forcing thesegments centripetally during operation of the preventer in making apipe passage shut off.

And an object is to provide a cushioning bolster in and for the saiddevice.

The invention resides in certain advancements in this art as set forthin the ensuing disclosure and has, with the above, additional objectsand advantages as hereinafter developed, and whose constructions,combinations and subcombinations, and details of means and manner ofoperation will be made manifest in the following description of theherewith illustrative embodiment; it being understood thatmodifications, variations, adaptations and equivalents may be resortedto within the scope, spirit and principle of the invention as it isclaimed in conclusion hereof.

Figure 1 is an axial section of the packer assembly, partly inelevation. Figure 2 is a plan view of one of the armor segments. Figure3 is a plan view of a toggle link. Figure 4 is a sectional edge view ofa bolster element. Figure 5 is an elevation of a portion of a link cage.

The preventer illustrated includes an upper housing 2 the lower end ofwhich has a rim shoulder 2s on which lands the upper end of anencompassing collar 3 which is joined by suitable screw threads 3s to alower cylinder 4 having a basal flange 4f to attach to lower apparatus,not shown. These joined parts have an axial passageway for tool or otherparts, as is well known.

A tubular piston 6 has a lower head 6h packed and working in thecylinder 4 and has, fixed to its upper end, as by screws 7, a crown disc8 which in the illustrated, lower position of the piston 6 rests closeto a separator plate 9 which is clinched tight between the housing andthe cylinder. The plate 9 has motive fluid ducts 9a and 9b for doubleaction on the piston, that is for supplying fluid pressure for actuatingthe piston upwardly or downwardly respectively as shown in Fig. 1; theplate being packed onto the reduced hub of the piston. Duct 9acommunicates with a pasage 4a in cylinder 4 which is adapted to beconnected to a source of fluid under pressure. Duct 9b is similarlyconnected with a passage (not shown) in the cylinder 4 which is alsoadapted to be connected to a source of fluid under pressure.

The disc 8 constitutes a circular, transverse ram on whose upper facerests a circular gang of armor segments 10, Fig. 2, which are partiallyembedded in the lower end of a thick-wall, tubular mass of suitableelastic material (rubber or the like) forming a massive packer 11. Theupper end of the packer lodges on an embedded, ring of segmental armorparts 12 similar to segments 10.

If the. piston. ram disc 8. forcedupwardby motive. fluid from duct 9athemassiyepacker. isaxiallyshort ed.

and the bore portion of the mass extrudes inwardly either to engage onan interposed apparatus string element, regardless of its shape ofcross-section, or to so fully compact as to completely choke its borehole. When ram pressure is decreased the packer tends to automaticallyelongate.

' Means are here provided whereby to reliably insure that the packerwill make a safe shut-off under action of the ram. Said means includesupper and lower rings of relatively inverted, inflexible toggle links 13which are pivotally connected at 14 to the outer ends of the respectivesegments 10 and 12. Slidably fitted in the bore of the housing is ajacket 15 embedded in the outer surface of the packer 11; this havingcorner surfaces 11s sealing on nearby housing surface and ends of thejacket. Slidably mounted in the jacket there is a transverse bolsterconsisting of stacked, relatively inverted, frusto-conoidal spring rings16 and the toggle links incline longitudinally and outwardly from theupper and lower gangs of armor segments to converge to and rest on theinterposed bolster rings.

The bolster ends of the links pivotally swing in windows 17w ofrelatively inverted upper and lower cages 17 embedded in the packingmass and slidably supported in the jacket.

Therefore, when the piston ram moves up in the housing the packer massand the armor segments all concurrently compact toward the housingpassageway to make the shut-01f. Endwise extrusion of the packer isstopped by the several segments, and these latter also stop the boreends of the packer from being torn away.

I claim:

1. A blow out preventer of the class shown, including: a top,cylindrical housing having an axial pipe hole and a cylinder attached tothe lower end of the housing; a piston coaxially mounted in the cylinderand adapted to be actuated longitudinally in both directions; a packingunit bodily slidable into the housing and including a coaxial, tubular,elastic packer; upper and lower circles of armor segments partiallyembedded in the ends of the packer; a cylindrical jacket fitting thebore face of the housing and embracing the packer and overlapped by endportions thereof; a cage within the jacket adjacent one end thereof andembedded in the packer; toggle means operatively connecting the segmentsand said cage; and means for delivering pressure fluid to the piston.

2. The preventer defined by claim 1 wherein said toggle means includesupper and lower circles of independent, inflexible toggle links.

3. The preventer defined by claim 2 wherein saidlinks are pivotallyconnected to respective segments and to said cage.

4. The preventer defined by claim 2, including an expansion bolsterbetween and cushioning the said circles of links.

5. The preventer defined by claim 4 wherein said bolster comprisesstacked, relatively inverted frustoconoidal spring rings.

6. The preventer defined by claim 1 wherein said end portions of thepacker overlapping said jacket, sealingly engage contiguous surfaces ofthe housing bore.

7. In a blow out preventer: a top, cylindrical housing having an axialpipe hole; a cylinder attached to the lower end of the housing; a pistonoperably mounted within the housing and cylinder and adapted to beactuated axially in both directions; a packing unit in the housing andincluding a coaxial, tubular, elastic packer; upper and lower groups ofarmor segments partially embedded in the ends of the packer, thesegments of each group being arranged ageants. .4.95

References Cited in the file of this patent annularly; a cylindricaljacket fitting the bore of the hous- UNITED STATES PATENTS ing andencircling the packer, there being end portions of said packer whichoverlap the ends of said jacket; a

cage within the jacket adjacent one end thereof and em- 3 2 3 2 StoneJune 231 1942 bedded in said packer; and toggle means operatively con? 53:

meeting said segments and said cage.

